National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events -- in cartoon form

Do You Believe a Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen? Weigh In!

About this blog

By Dave Granlund

National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events. Dave has been an editorial cartoonist published in daily newspapers since 1977. Born in Ware, Mass., Granlund began drawing cartoons in grade school and at
...

National cartoonist Dave Granlund's blog features his take on politics and current events. Dave has been an editorial cartoonist published in daily newspapers since 1977. Born in Ware, Mass., Granlund began drawing cartoons in grade school and at age 16, he was published on the editorial pages of local weekly newspapers. His eight-year enlistment in the USAF included assignments with SAC HQ and with Headquarters Command, where his duties included work as head illustrator for the Presidential Inaugural Subcommittee and providing briefing charts for the White House and support for Air Force One. As part of NATO in Operation Looking Glass with the Airborne Command Post, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Dave's newspaper honors include awards from UPI, New England Press Association, International Association of Business Communicators, The Associated Press and Massachusetts Press Association. His work has been nominated numerous times for the Pulitzer Prize. His pastimes and interests include history, wood carving, antique tractors and Swedish language studies.

Just ask the woman who was shot (non-fatally) by her boyfriend after they got in a fierce argument over the probability of a real-life zombie apocalypse, a conversation sparked by AMC's hit drama The Walking Dead. She thinks it's pure fantasy, but he thinks a "military mishap" could make the ravenous undead a reality. And so he shot her (accidentally, he claims). Jeez, overreact much?

And as crazy as his actions were, the shooter isn't alone in his beliefs.

Stay with us here. We're not condoning his unbalanced response to what should be a rather open-and-shut debate (e.g. zombies = fiction). But there's a reason why zombies are appealing to many: that tiny, niggling idea that maybe, possibly they could exist (even when our brainsss tell us otherwise). That's what makes them both scary and intriguing.

'Fess up. You either have a zombie preparedness plan or know somebody who does. And even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first used zombies as a tongue-in-cheek approach to offer tips to the public, the agency has kept zombies a presence on its website because the response has been so positive. Chances are that if you're prepared for a zombie apocalypse, you'll be prepared for anything.

Plus, although supernatural or magical reasons were given for the mortally challenged in the past, the trend now (seen in such projects as The Walking Dead and 28 Days Later) is to offer explanations rooted in science, pathology and ultimately, reality. If the Bubonic plague or other similar epidemics have us taught anything, it's to not underestimate the rapid, far-reaching effects of insidious viruses or fungi. Hey, scientists, can you develop a zombie inoculation (covered by insurance, of course) or an over-the-counter Preparation Z?

What's your verdict? Are zombies purely a fictional, albeit fun, diversion? Or is it possible for an unknown disease or experiment gone wrong to create the undead? What's your zombie preparedness plan? Share your thoughts in the comments below!